Archive · 30 Nov 2025
Golden Retrievers and Humans Share Genetic Traits
Scientists at the University of Cambridge did a study with 1,300 golden retrievers and their owners.
They found that both humans and golden retrievers share some of the same genes that affect how they behave and feel.
For example, one gene makes golden retrievers easy to train and makes humans smart and sensitive.
Another gene is linked to aggression in dogs and intelligence and depression in humans.
This shows that humans and dogs have some similar genetic roots for their behavior.
It also explains why some dogs might act in ways that seem like bad behavior but are actually because they feel stressed.
The study helps us understand how humans and dogs have evolved together over time.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge analyzed the DNA of 1,300 golden retrievers and compared it with their owners' DNA.
They identified 12 genes in golden retrievers linked to human emotional and mental traits, including intelligence, anxiety, and depression.
The ROMO1 gene is associated with trainability in golden retrievers and intelligence and emotional sensitivity in humans.
The PTPN1 gene is linked to aggression in golden retrievers and intelligence and depression in humans.
The study suggests that genetics govern behavior, making some dogs predisposed to stress and distress.
- Who
- Researchers at the University of Cambridge
- What
- A study revealing shared genetic traits between golden retrievers and humans
- When
- Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Where
- University of Cambridge
- Why
- To understand the genetic basis for certain behaviors and emotional traits in both species
- Study Source
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Researchers
- University of Cambridge
- Number of Dogs Studied
- 1,300 golden retrievers
- Key Genes Identified
- ROMO1, PTPN1
- Common Traits
- Intelligence, anxiety, depression, aggression, trainability